Reaffirming its sustained and intelligence-driven campaign against illicit tobacco trade, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) successfully thwarted ₱39.300 million worth of smuggled cigarettes and dried tobacco products bound for Manila.
Acting on reliable intelligence information, the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) and Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) immediately initiated coordination with port authorities and shipping lines for the tagging, monitoring, and inspection of six container vans originating from Zamboanga and Bacolod bound for Manila.
Consequently, the shipments were subjected to 100% physical examination at the Sub-Port of North Harbor in the presence of representatives from concerned government agencies and port authorities.
The inspection uncovered multiple brands of cigarettes and hundreds of sacks of dried tobacco concealed in container vans originating from Zamboanga and Bacolod and falsely declared as dried fish and general merchandise.
The seized items lacked the required BIR tax stamps, graphic health warnings, and proper markings.
The seized items — including Platinum, Lasa, King Philip, H&P Red Premium, Cannon Menthol, and Modern Brand cigarettes, as well as unmarked sacks of dried tobacco —lacked the required Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax stamps, graphic health warnings, and proper markings, with a total estimated value of ₱39.300 million.
As a result, Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSDs) were issued for violations of Republic Act No. 10643 (Graphic Health Warnings Law), Republic Act No. 10963 (TRAIN Law), and pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
The successful operation was carried out through the Bureau’s Intelligence Group – CIIS, Enforcement Group – ESS, and Manila International Container Port (MICP), in close coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and other law enforcement agencies, preventing the unlawful entry of unregulated tobacco products into the domestic market.
Speaking at the press briefing alongside the PCG, BIR, and PPA, Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno cited the vigilance of the CIIS, ESS, MICP, and the Sub-Port of North Harbor, stressing that disciplined intelligence validation and rigorous inspection protocols remain central to the Bureau’s anti-smuggling efforts.
“Intensified enforcement measures against illicit trade are important to prevent revenue losses.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has consistently emphasized the importance of intensified enforcement measures against illicit trade to prevent revenue losses and ensure adherence to customs and tax regulations, which the BOC continues to enforce rigorously.
The seizure reflects the Bureau’s strengthened intelligence operations and closer coordination with partner agencies to disrupt smuggling networks and prevent revenue leakage.
